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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/24096541">i'll save you a seat, lover</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/dankobah/pseuds/dankobah'>dankobah</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Sequel Trilogy</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Daddy Kink, F/M, Love Potion/Spell, Rey and Ben have past partners, Service Top, Witchcraft, Witches, ben drinks the love potion, lil bit of that, this is more upscale bitchy witches in LA though</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-05-09</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-05-12</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-02 23:16:12</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Explicit</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>4,073</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/24096541</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/dankobah/pseuds/dankobah</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Rey pouts and checks for her compact mirror in her purse.  It’s a Chanel mirror, given to her for her birthday by Jannah.  She checks her lipstick and then looks back to Rose.</p><p>“Do you know anywhere I could get a love potion?”</p><p>“You would brew it yourself, and I don’t know if I should give you the spellbook.” </p><p>“Why wouldn’t you?  I’m trustworthy.”  She gives a winning smile, and Rose doesn’t buy it.</p><p>“I’m telling you, you shouldn’t fuck around with this shit.”</p><p>
  <b> or</b>
</p><p>
  <b>Rey brews a love potion and nothing goes right </b>
</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Armitage Hux/Rose Tico, Kaydel Ko Connix/Jannah, Poe Dameron/Finn, Rey/Ben Solo | Kylo Ren</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>23</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>60</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. we had magic, but you made it tragic</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><ul class="associations">
      <li>For <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/users/cinemariel/gifts">cinemariel</a>.</li>



    </ul><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>tags are listed above and will be updated per chapter but i just wanted to warn you before we begin: Ben is going to drink the love potion and be affected by that.  If that disturbs you or bothers you in any way, I suggest you see yourself out now.  There are plenty of other works by me you can enjoy :)</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Let's cut to the chase: Rey is hopelessly in love with her roommate.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It’s hard not to love a guy like Ben.  He mows the lawn, throws out old milk, and also takes five minute showers (an essential if you share a bathroom with her).  He leaves the porch light on when she goes out at night and is always waiting around when she comes back from her late night walks.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The only problem?  He does not understand that if he were to smash a raw tomato in her face, she’d still have just as much adoration for him.  He does things that annoy her: leaving the seat up, putting the meat back in the wrong drawer, i.e. minor things.  </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He doesn’t know about her </span>
  <em>
    <span>gifts</span>
  </em>
  <span>, but he’s done everything he possibly can to support them.  From taking out the boring white tub and making it a pink clawfoot for her nightly soaks after potion brewing, to building her a nice and insulated shed in the big backyard so she can have office space and a place to practice.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She mostly uses it as coven meeting space but lately the ladies have been wanting to use their memberships at the Wing in Los Angeles.  They have great avocado toast and Chanel products in their bathroom, so Rey will oblige with her fellow ladies.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ben and her work separate jobs; he freelance writes/podcasts from home and somehow owns his own home in West Hollywood, whereas Rey is a hostess at Club Apotha.  Rent is cheap, ridiculously so, and she adores him for that too.  </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She’s made a grand life for herself in California, thriving as opposed to starving in the U.K.  She didn’t have a coven there, only the comfort of library internet to find her fellow witches.  </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She’s living good except for having an abysmal love life.  Turns out that a lot of male witches aren’t her type, and she much prefers the human realm for dating.  </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She’s been looking at Ben for over two years now, established in their schedules and roommate statuses.  Rey wants to be more; she wants to be one of the girls she sees leaving occasionally at breakfast.  </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Today is no exception, her Ugg slippers stepping on the hardwood of the stairs.  The house is white and clean lines, including modern touches and a dark wood kitchen that opens up to the living room and dining room.  </span>
</p><p>
  <span>When Rey snooped on this house on Zillow, she figured out it cost over three million dollars.  She’s wearing a huge t-shirt that has two drama faces with joints in their mouths, reading “high now, high later”.  </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She figured he would laugh at it, and that would open up a conversation about anything.  Rey’s desperate for any sort of contact from him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>But there’s a girl at their breakfast bar, a beautiful blonde girl.  She’s munching on bacon and eggs, and Ben is standing at the range and cooking.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Rey stops and stares at the girl.  Neither of them have noticed her yet, and Rey wonders how they met.  Ben went out last night to some metal concert, but this girl doesn’t look like a metal head.  In fact, she’s the hottest thing she’s seen.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She turns around and darts back up the stairs and to her compact room.  Her hands tremble as she grabs her phone, dialing Rose.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It rings once, twice, three times before Rose picks up with a groggy, “Hello?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Rey cuts to the chase, “He’s got a blonde, super hot.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Rose, tired of Rey’s lamenting, “Get down there, rip her throat out.”  </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Rey rolls her eyes to herself and replies, “I can’t.  Meet me at Alfred’s in an hour.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You bitch there’s traffic-“ </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Rey hangs up and tosses her phone dramatically on the bed before biting her lip and stalking into her closet to get dressed in finery unmatched.  She dresses ultra fashionable when she’s upset and today’s no exception.  </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Only she chooses black as the color palette, a rare thing unless she’s practicing some heavy stuff she needs to get in the mindset for.  Color influences her mood, which shapes her spells and potions.  </span>
</p><p>
  <span>It’s quite simple to understand, really.  She’s feeling dark and stormy, tumultuous and ready to run and shriek from the rooftops that she likes him.  Maybe even hire one of those planes that drag words through the sky as some grand gesture.  She slides on her dress, a maxi dress with slits up both her legs to expose her toned thighs.  Scorpions are printed on her tits, a pair of them side by side, a mock neck keeping her modest up top.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She then puts on a leather jacket and a wide-brimmed hat.  Sunglasses then hit the bridge of her nose and she drags her purse out from under the bed.  Her keys are thankfully in her bag already, so she only collects the other essentials like her phone and makeup to apply in the car before Rose arrives.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She then feels hot enough to be seen by him, so she exits her primarily white room.  Black and pink are accent colors, and she turns off the pink neon sign that reads </span>
  <em>
    <span>girls do it better.  </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>Stepping down the stairs in her socks, she just has to grab her Doc Martens from the hall closet.  Upon first glance, the blonde is gone.  Ben is cleaning up rather loudly, and she takes the loud noises as an opportunity to sneak to the closet.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The open concept kitchen gives her away.  “Where are you headed?”  She freezes, bent over to grab her shoes from the closet.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Uh, coffee with Rose.  How was the concert?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She doesn’t particularly want to know, but she figures that being polite despite having your heart crushed is the way to go.  She drags her shoes out of the closet and plops onto the couch to get them on.  They’re still a little muddy from Coachella the month before so she’s careful about getting them on the chic black shag rug.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He answers while she puts on her shoes, “Standard.  Went out with Hux after the show and stuff.”  That must be where he picked up the hot blonde.  She looks over at him and he looks a little bitter, like someone pissed in his coffee.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Oh, something must have gone wrong in the time she was upstairs.  No spells required too.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He finishes the last dish and turns towards him.  His black tee clings to him, and her mouth fills with saliva.  Fuck, if he isn’t one of the nicest things she’s ever witnessed.  He’s a magnetic force.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Want some breakfast?  I just cleaned up but-“</span>
</p><p>
  <span>This isn’t the first time he’s offered her breakfast but this time especially throws her for a loop.  She has to decline for posterity, “Maybe tomorrow?  I should get going.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He nods, and she hopes she hasn’t discouraged him from asking her ever again.  Of course she thought that the last time, and he just asked again.  Her worries are simultaneously stupid and valid in her anxious little head, a mental health conundrum.  She gets her shoes on and carefully hops to the hardwood.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ben then says, “Take my car.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She stops and looks back.  Ben has a three-car garage.  Rey drives a 1972 Oldsmobile Cutlass convertible, restored with the help of Rose.  It got them through a lonely summer when Paige was working as a flight attendant and Ben was in Paris on assignment.  </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ben has two cars himself, and a motorcycle.  “Which one?  And why?”  </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ben brews another pot of coffee, showing he’s writing today.  “Because your car is a death trap.  And you can choose either of them, I’ll use the other one if I end up going somewhere.  I doubt I will though.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She swallows and then says, “I think I’m good with mine to be honest.  Thanks for the offer, though.”  She offers a smile and then turns around, walking through the door to the garage.  </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She opens the door and walks out into the driveway where her baby is parked.  Cherry red and glossy from hand washes, she puts so much effort into the things she loves.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Would Ben understand that?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She arrives at Alfred’s at least fifteen minutes early so she applies a light smattering of makeup.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Rey loves her freckles so she wouldn’t dare to cover up with foundation or concealer.  She does her brows and winged eyeliner in the rear-view mirror, out in front of the coffee shop and utterly uncaring of people seeing her put her face together.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Slathering her lips in red lipstick, she paints carefully around the edges with a lip brush to sculpt a perfect pout.  Then she checks her face every which way, making sure her highlighter is beaming in the sunlight.  She’s spied a patio table with her name on it after all, so a little sparkle can’t hurt.  </span>
</p><p>
  <span>That’s when she puts the top up on the convertible, getting out of the car to do it.  Two men pass by, and one whistles at her.  “I don’t know if I like the girl or the car more.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She responds, without even looking, “Eat my shorts.”  Then she locks it, and struts past them and into the coffee shop.  The front of the building is covered in vines and looks like a little cottage.  </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The inside neglects the cottage trend though, trendy painted walls, subway tile, and gold fixtures.  She thrives on aesthetics to practice witchcraft.  She gets in line, and almost like clockwork, Rose comes into the shop.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Rose looks like a goth princess, as usual.  She prefers black lipstick and spikes and completely believes in counter culture fashion.  A septum ring is through her nose today, wearing a strappy satin black and white polka dot dress.  She fills it out beautifully, wearing a black oversized blazer with spike topped shoulders and very bitchy black platform heels that also tie in spikes.  “I have work after this.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Rose owns her own oddities store, full of creepy shit like skulls and baby rats in jars.  She has a preserved, taxidermied octopus that Rey has her eye on.  It’d make some freaky wall art for her office.  Rey nods, “This’ll be fast, I’m freaking out Rose.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Rose states, “Listen, I don’t think the blonde means anything.  We know from the past watching of him that Ben doesn’t stick with women easily.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Is he afraid of commitment?  Should she be worried that so many women end up leaving him in the dust?  </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Why is that though?  Is there something wrong with him?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Probably mommy issues.  But the guy needs a good love potion, probably.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Something sick clicks and her eyes widen.  “Love potion?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Rose stares at her before swallowing, “No.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Rose, it’s perfect-“</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Love potions are no joke, Rey.  It’s better to do things organically than try to influence the fates.”  Here they go with the whole “fucking with the fates” shit she likes to tout.  </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Rey tries, “I don’t see him paying attention to me any other way, Rose.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>They step up to the counter and Rey orders first so Rose can chew on that, “I want a large soy pink drink please.  Also whatever she’s getting.”  Rey is buying her a coffee to placate her friend.  </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Rose sighs, “Large Matcha Tea, with oat milk though.”  The disinterested barista writes their orders on their cups and Rey taps her card on the sensor to pay.  It dings, and she smiles wide.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Killing the barista with kindness, “Have a </span>
  <em>
    <span>lovely </span>
  </em>
  <span>day.”  Rose and her walk away and to the patio table outside, plopping down and ready to wait eons for their coffee.  </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Rey jokes, “God it’s like you turn twenty-two in LA and you’re chopped liver.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Rose laughs, “Wait until you turn twenty-five.  Shit really hits the fan then.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Rey pouts and checks for her compact mirror in her purse.  It’s a Chanel mirror, given to her for her birthday by Jannah.  She checks her lipstick and then looks back to Rose.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Do you know anywhere I could get a love potion?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You would brew it yourself, and I don’t know if I should give you the spell book.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Why wouldn’t you?  I’m trustworthy.”  She gives a winning smile, and Rose doesn’t buy it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m telling you, you shouldn’t fuck around with this shit.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Rey huffs and puffs before crossing her arms, “Do you know anyone’s who used it?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Only a few very desperate women.  Oh, and Poe.”  Rey’s eyes widen.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Rose continues before she can get any ideas, “Brewed it like shit so the effects lasted for two hours.  Which is good because he’s 100% gay now and he gave it to a woman.”  Poe is happy with Finn now, another witch in their coven.  Neither of them come to meetings all too often, but they’re fun additions to have.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Is it easy to brew wrong?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Rose nods, “You could get the ritual wrong and make him hate you first of all.  Or even worse, he could love you for five minutes and then fuck off for the rest of time.  And the thing about a love potion?  You can’t use another one after you attempt it once.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Rose thinks this matters to Rey, and the barista calls out their orders.  Rey replies while getting up, “I’ve got it.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>As she walks away from the table, she mulls it over fully.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>And she decides she needs to get her hands on a spell book for this.</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>thoughts and feelings welcome at <a href="https://twitter.com/dankobah">twitter</a></p><p>work title is inspired by <a href="https://youtu.be/-BjZmE2gtdo">“Lover” by Taylor Swift</a></p><p>chapter title is inspired by <a href="https://youtu.be/Tc4ZOs21rRA">”maniac” by Conan grey</a></p><p> </p><p>  <a href="https://www.dollskill.com/unisex-lurking-class-graphic-tee-short-sleeve-high-now-high-later-black.html">Rey’s t-shirt</a><br/><a href="https://www.dollskill.com/horoscopez-scorpions-slit-maxi-dress-black.html">scorpion dress</a><br/><a href="https://classiccars.com/listings/view/907184/1972-oldsmobile-cutlass-for-sale-in-milford-ohio-45150">1972 cutlass convertible</a><br/><a href="https://alfred.la/">alfred’s coffee</a><br/><a href="https://www.lulus.com/products/summer-swayin-black-and-white-polka-dot-satin-ruffled-romper/1012402.html">rose’s dress</a><br/><a href="https://www.karmaloop.com/product/jeffrey-campbell-black-the-spike-shoe-in-black-with-silver-studs">Rose’s heels</a></p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. i'm dressed like a fucking queen</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>“Ben, I don’t think she’s worth the energy.” </p>
<p>“Exactly.  God, what is fucking wrong with my love life?”  He’s asking the universe, but it feels like he’s taunting her.</p>
<p>
  <i>You’ll love me soon, I hope.</i>
</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>tags:<br/>rey does the thing (she makes the potion)<br/>mention of another girl by ben<br/>alcohol<br/>witchcraft<br/>author takes some liberties with magic</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Turns out, getting the spellbook isn’t that hard.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>LA has plenty of shops for people like her and getting the spellbook just takes a few hours of research and calling various shops in the city.  The shops are listed on the forums usually, not advertising unless it’s by word of mouth or internet gossip, to keep everyday people out.  </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The book is in her hands in no time, a glossy lavender book with an ornate cover that reads </span>
  <em>
    <span>The Modern Witchcraft Book of Love Spells: Your Complete Guide to Attracting Passion, Love, and Romance</span>
  </em>
  <span>.  It’s everything she needs from him on the cover and it seems legit upon flipping through in the dinky and small store that smells suspiciously like basement rot.  Downtown LA rent is too high for a lot of witches so they end up in the underbelly of basements.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She walks up to the counter where an old woman sits, with enormous glasses and black garb.  She adjusts in her high stool at the cash register as Rey sets the book down with a couple bundles of sage.  She’s running low and needs to cleanse her office again.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The woman flips over the book and inputs the price.  “Love potion, huh?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Rey nervously laughs, “Yep!  Just practicing!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Practicing getting this man.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The woman doesn’t buy it but she lets her purchase the book and sage anyway, the dinky little card reader working its own magic on her bank account.  “By the way, for the strongest love potion in that book, you’ll want to choose an eye that’s proportional or bigger to the drinker.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>That helps a lot, and Rey offers a marvelous smile.  “Thanks for the tip.”  She receives her card and signs the receipt while the woman puts her purchases in an opaque black plastic bag.  Then she also drops a business card in there.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“My name is Maz, and in case you need any help feel free to call within hours.”  This place is open late and she can't imagine why this woman is being so kind to her.  Maz offers a tight smile and Rey gives one back before she nods and takes her leave.  </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>LA is hot today, unnaturally so, but she still needs to go shopping for ingredients for her potion.  Her car is parked exactly where she left it, and she gets into the car.  She looks like a seventies dream today, mixed with a bit of pastel punk.  Her pastel tie-dye mini skirt and off the shoulder crop top pair nicely with her white combat boots if she says so herself.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Luckily there’s a shop close to her house, and she picks up her phone to plug it into auxiliary when she notices three missed calls from Ben.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh no.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Did she leave the sink dirty?  Or maybe she left hair in the bathtub's bottom from shaving her pussy this morning?  She’d never do either of those things but this is worst-case scenario talk.  She calls him back, and he picks up after two whole rings.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He talks first, “Hey, where are you?” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Rey answers, “Downtown LA, why?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He makes a relieved sound, “Can you come to the corner of Broadway Street and 6th?”  </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She doesn’t ask questions, given that when she inputs it into the GPS it’s only five minutes away on foot.  Rey gets out of her car, putting her bag with the spell book in her trunk and locking it.  “I’ll walk to you, I’m really close.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Thanks, I owe you huge.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She hangs up the phone and gets to walking, slinging her purse over her other shoulder as she does.  She’s on a rescue mission for Ben Solo right now, there’s no time to fiddle with her fashion or window shop.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Eventually, she makes it to a sketchy area with a lot of jewelers and a jewel mart.  Ben is standing outside of the gigantic market, and Rey steps right up to him.  He breathes a sigh of relief, towering over her.  He’s dressed professionally today, in a black dress shirt and black slacks, a blazer over his arm, and messenger bag on his shoulder.  She asks, “What are you doing here?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>They walk the way she came, and he answers, “Interview for a piece on ethical jewelry.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Rey laughs, “I’m gonna be honest, nothing looks ethical about this place.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He snorts and walks beside her, “I should ask what you’re doing downtown when you have a shift tonight?”  That’s right, he actually checks the work calendar they both set up.  Rey just inputs her schedule into both calendars and mutes the one with all his work in it.  </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She can’t tell the truth, “Wanted a change of scenery for once.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He nods along and his strides are longer than hers so she has to practically skip to keep up with him.  “Did you take an Uber or something?” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He laughs now, “No.  This girl I met the other day offered to take me and wait, but apparently, I took too long and she left.  Won’t answer my calls either.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Rey blurts, “What a bitch.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He stops and turns to her and she covers her mouth.  “I mean-“ </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“It was a rude thing to do, you’re right.  I was gonna let her off the hook and try to call her tomorrow but-“</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Ben, I don’t think she’s worth the energy.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Exactly.  God, what is fucking wrong with my love life?”  He’s asking the universe, but it feels like he’s taunting her.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>You’ll love me soon, I hope.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She does the deed when she gets home from work.  </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Club Apotha closes at two, so she makes it back by three.  This ritual is expected to take about two hours of brewing and incantation, so it’ll put her being up for twenty-four hours.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>But it needs to be done.  She got the ingredients before work, without Ben lurking.  He should be totally asleep when she gets home, and he is.  She makes sure she’s quiet as she walks through the house, putting things away in her bedroom and changing into something that’s not black.  </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She figures, since she’s brewing a love potion, she’d be better off with wearing her favorite color: pink.  She chooses a pale pink Herve Leger dress, a glittery iridescent cloak in the back of her closet.  She throws it on top.  The closet is custom, like the rest of the house, so there are cabinets that hold her hats.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She chooses her new one, white satin with bundles of flowers and crystals on top.  Holding it in her hands, she grabs her crystalline wand from under her bed, stashed in a glass box.  Then she leaves her room, quietly shutting the door to act like she’s asleep in case he wakes.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She walks through the house and out into the small backyard, walking to the rather large shed.  It’s painted the same color grey as the rest of the house, and she steps inside and shuts and locks the door.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The walls are painted (surprise) pink.  One wall has an accent of bright blue and green floral wallpaper and it’s not what you would expect a witch’s den to look like.  Even the massive cauldron set up in the middle of the room is white.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She takes the ingredients out of the mini-fridge, removing them from the bag.  There’s everything from cow eyeballs to ginseng, and if she knew it would be this complicated, she would’ve confessed her love already.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>But she’s in too deep, and she cracks open the book to get started, hat on her head.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The first step is to light nine specifically rose-colored votives.  Rey had to snatch them from Apotha’s back stock but she lights them all in a circle around the cauldron.  </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The base of the potion is wine, which is also something she could easily find thanks to Ben.  She took three bottles from the wine fridge, and if he notices, she’ll pay him back.  She doubts he will though, and she dumps the bottles in the cauldron.  She’s tripling the potion recipe because she doesn’t know how much Ben will need to drink to love her.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Or if she must drink some too.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It crossed her mind that Ben might end up loving her more than she loves him (or herself).  That can be easily solved with a potion though, right?</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She tosses in ingredients: raspberry leaf, essence from rose, vanilla, strawberry leaf, a wildcard of cow eyeball, and more.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She recites the incantation while stirring the ingredients nine times, “Let the one who drinks this wine shower me with love divine, sweet love potion number nine, make his love forever mine.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She lights the cauldron (it’s settled on a huge induction burner so she doesn’t burn the place down) and is careful about watching it while pacing.  It needs to come to a boil, and the saying is true: a watched pot never boils.  </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Eventually, it does though, and she reduces the heat and waits another two or three minutes.  Then she gets out her wand, waving it over the cauldron and saying, “Oh queen of herbs, oh goddess of love, as I offer this drink, the distance between us will shrink.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Bioluminescent (leaning pink) sparks leave the wand and fall into the cauldron to light up the entire pot; it looks like someone poured pure glow sticks into the cauldron.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Lightning cracks outside and she shrieks, jumping out of her skin and seeing outside flash pink as it does.  Rain begins to pour on the metal roof above her head, and rosy steam rises off the now blush-colored potion.  </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Holy shit.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She’s fucking done it.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Rey can’t sleep after she makes the potion.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She just stares at the ceiling, knowing full well a giant pitcher of it sits in the refrigerator just waiting to be consumed.  She doesn’t even know what to pass it off as.  A wine spritzer?  Gone off rosé?</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It’s been raining ever since she completed the potion, lightning, and thunder cracking across the skies and making her grateful she put the car in the garage last night.  </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>There’s a knock on her door and she sits up.  “Coming!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She knows it’s him so she takes a moment to fix her hair in the mirror, then adjusting her black tee.  She’s wearing white workout shorts beneath it to show off her legs for exactly a moment like this.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Rey opens the door and Ben is standing there with his arms crossed.  “Hey, so the power is out.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She raises her eyebrows and asks, “Really?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Thankfully, it’s raining, so it’s cool outside, but a tree took out a power line in the neighborhood.  Since I can’t exactly do my work without power, I was wondering if you wanted to hang out with me.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Her heart swells thirty sizes too big.  </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>This is the perfect way to get him to drink the potion.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>thoughts and feelings welcome at <a href="https://twitter.com/dankobah">twitter</a></p>
<p>chapter title is inspired by <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=132mw7A6BoI">"holy" by king princess</a></p>
<p>
  <a href="https://www.dollskill.com/tie-dye-eyelet-skirt-set-pastel.html">tie-dye crop and skirt</a>
  <br/>
  <a href="https://www.dollskill.com/new-rock-white-knife-combat-boots.html">combat boots</a>
  <br/>
  <a href="https://www.herveleger.com/HLT8255198-682.html?dwvar_HLT8255198-682_color=682&amp;cgid=dresses#prefn1=colorRefinement&amp;prefv1=Pink&amp;dwvar_HLT8255198-682_color=682&amp;cgid=dresses&amp;start=1">herve leger dress</a>
  <br/>
  <a href="https://www.etsy.com/listing/742545347/pretty-in-pink?ga_order=most_relevant&amp;ga_search_type=all&amp;ga_view_type=gallery&amp;ga_search_query=pink+witch+hat&amp;ref=sr_gallery-2-14&amp;organic_search_click=1">the hat</a>
  <br/>
  <a href="https://www.etsy.com/listing/655319898/crystal-hilt-enchant-wand-sorcerer-wand?ga_order=most_relevant&amp;ga_search_type=all&amp;ga_view_type=gallery&amp;ga_search_query=magic+wands&amp;ref=sr_gallery-1-10&amp;frs=1">sorcerer wand</a>
  <br/>
  <a href="https://www.dollskill.com/unisex-lurking-class-graphic-tee-dancing-reaper-black.html">rey's sleep shirt</a>
  <br/>
  <a href="https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/8945-Ashcroft-Ave-Los-Angeles-CA-90048/20516412_zpid/?">ben's home</a>
</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
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